


masquerade.

by orphan_account



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, M/M, implied Luna/Nyx - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 18:17:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10996326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Every Lucian heir has a coming of age ceremony where they announce their engagement to their intended spouse.Tonight is Noct's, and boy, does he have a surprise for the kingdom.





	masquerade.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [explodingnebulae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/explodingnebulae/gifts).



> as an aromantic person the whole "we met once and now we're in love" thing doesn't Compute for me so i'm taking classic fairy tales that work that trope and turning them on their heads because why tf not
> 
> but mostly i'm just a slut for the prince/chamberlain dynamic tbh

“Do I  _have_ to?” Noct asks, keeping his eyes on the mirror. He watches Ignis’s reflection reaching around his face to hold up his masquerade mask so he can tie it in place. “I really don’t want to.” 

“It is tradition,” Ignis replies on a sigh. They’ve had this conversation before. He’s tired of it, Noct knows. He doesn’t care. “Every heir of Lucis has a coming of age celebration that they must attend.” 

“But I don’t  _want to.”_

“And I honestly could not care less what you want,” Ignis says, flippant. He finishes tying Noct’s mask in place, the delicate silver mesh a high contrast to his dark hair. “It’s only for tonight. I think you’ll live.” 

Noct makes a wounded noise in his throat, turning to face Ignis who has turned away to finish getting himself ready. “When you find my dead body under the refreshments table,” Noct warns, “you’ll have only yourself to blame.” 

“Good thing I know all the best places to hide dead bodies, then, isn’t it?” Ignis is rolling his eyes. Noct just  _knows_ it. Asshole. 

“Harsh,” Noct says. “I’m really feeling the love and care.” 

Ignis secures his own mask in place—solid black velvet, with pale green filigree-patterned trim—and turns back to Noct. Even partly obscured, Noct can see the fond, warm look on Ignis’s face as he places a gentle kiss to Noct’s temple above his own mask. 

“You’ll be fine, beloved,” Ignis murmurs, and Noct melts into Ignis’s arms as they wrap around him. It’s a bit stiff in their suits, but Noct has never felt more comfortable. “You’ve survived worse.” 

“Honestly, the battlefield is preferable,” Noct admits, and he smiles as Ignis chuckles. “At least I don’t have to wear a stuffy suit  _then.”_

“You’re hopeless,” Ignis sighs, but he gives Noct one more kiss to his temple before pulling away. He looks Noct over with pursed lips and straightens his lapels absentmindedly. He’s not in full princely raiment, but it’s still less comfortable than his usual getup. 

Satisfied, Ignis straightens himself and then holds out a hand to Noct. His smirk makes Noct’s knees a little weak. “Shall we?” 

Noct takes his hand. “Let’s do this.” 

 

Noct just wants the night to be over already. 

He pushes his way towards the wall, out of the crowd of guests moving in synchronization on the ballroom floor. From a corner of the room, the royal orchestra plays waltz after waltz, upbeat and lively and somber and slow. Noct has probably twirled around the floor no less than a few hundred times by now, each time with a different lady or countess introduced to him throughout the night. His face feels like it’s going to crack if he has to force a smile any longer. 

To his immense relief, the next lady that approaches him is none other than Luna, and Noct knows his smile is genuine as she curtsies before him. 

“My dear Noctis,” she says, and her eyes are kind and bright as she smiles at him. “It’s been an age since I’ve seen you.” 

“Hell yeah, it has,” he agrees, and he pulls her into a hug that she returns just as fiercely. He pulls back to look at her, moving a strand of golden hair out of her eyes. “How’ve you been? Is Ravus still being an overprotective asshole?” 

Luna laughs, and the sound is like bells. “You should ease off,” she tells him, pulling him back onto the floor between dancers. “He’s trying his best.” 

Noct rolls his eyes as they fall into position for the next waltz. “He’s glaring at me.” 

“No, he’s not.” 

“He  _so_ is! Look!” Noct spins Luna around in time with the music, so she’s facing her brother where he’s standing at the edge of the room. “I’m going to be murdered tonight and it’s going to be  _your_ fault!” 

They laugh and continue to spin around the floor, moving in and out between other dancing couples. Noct lets his body fall into the familiar steps, enjoying the music as he twirls Luna around. Her dress, a beautiful off-white gown embroidered with gold, caresses the marble floor in gentle sweeps. Noct hears the whispers, about how lovely the Lady Lunafreya looks tonight, and how she and his highness make such a lovely couple. 

_She’s beautiful, like an angel!_

_The prince is smiling so brightly! It must be wonderful to be so in love!_

_Do you think they’re going to announce the engagement tonight?_

_Oh, most certainly! A Lucian heir’s coming of age celebration is always ended with the announcement of their engagement—it’s tradition!_

_His highness is a lucky man to be marrying such a beautiful lady._

_That he is._

Noct can’t help rolling his eyes, and he catches Luna stifling laughter as they bow at the end of the waltz. They manage to make it back to the refreshments table before they can’t hold it anymore. 

“Oh, gods,” Luna gasps, hiding her smile behind a hand. “That’s embarrassing.” 

“You’re telling me,” Noct snorts, and he picks up a finger food sandwich from the nearest platter. He pops it in his mouth in one bite. “How mortified do you think they’re gonna be when I tell the kingdom I am very gay and very much sleeping with my chamberlain?” 

“About as mortified as I am at your table manners,” Ignis’s voice says, and Noct turns to pout at him, mouth full of sandwich. Ignis groans softly and reaches out to wipe crumbs from the corner of Noct’s mouth. “You’re disgusting.” 

Noct swallows his food and presses himself into Ignis’s side, pulling Ignis down by his tie to kiss the corner of his mouth. “You love me,” he says confidently as he pulls away, smirking. 

Ignis’s cheeks flush and he needlessly adjusts his mask in embarrassment, and Noct considers this a win for himself. 

“Unfortunately,” Ignis mutters finally, and Noct just kisses him again before turning back to Luna. 

“Anyway,” Noct says, trying not to grin as Ignis wraps an arm around him, “how’s Nyx?” 

Luna’s gaze cuts across the room to the raised platform where the throne sits, and Noct looks over to where his dad is sitting and quietly talking to his men. The Kingsglaive is an imposing retinue in black at the head of the room, keeping a perfunctory bubble of space around King Regis. 

As if sensing their looks, Nyx glances up from his bored scan of the room, and Noct watches him smile subtly at Luna. Luna blushes and smiles back, giving a subtle wave, and Noct can  _feel_ the love she’s bursting with inside. 

“You two are the sappiest couple I’ve ever seen,” Noct teases, and Luna playfully smacks his arm. 

“You’re one to talk,” she chides. “At least I don’t make pitiful puppy eyes whenever he walks into the room.” 

“Hey!” Noct protests, but Ignis squeezes him to still him. 

“She’s absolutely right,” Ignis says. “You’re not subtle about it, beloved.” 

Noct feels justified in his petulant pouting, but Ignis and Luna only laugh at him, and they fall into easy conversation for the next little while. Gladio and Prompto eventually make their way over, and it’s a grand time they have passing the time eating all the food set out for the guests. 

It’s actually not so bad. 

 

Later, as Noct finally crawls into bed after stripping out of the gods-awful suit, he finally concedes defeat. 

“Fine, you were right,” he sighs, and Ignis hums. 

“I usually am,” Ignis agrees, setting his book aside, “but about what in particular this time?” 

“I lived through it,” Noct admits. He snuggles up against Ignis’s side, laying his head on Ignis’s chest. Ignis’s arms wrap around him as they settle into the bed. “It wasn’t as awful as I thought it’d be.” 

Ignis has enough pity to not say “I told you so” out loud, which Noct is thankful for. He just kisses Noct instead. “That last bit was quite entertaining, wasn’t it?” 

Noct thinks about the surprised gasps from the people when Luna announced her engagement to  _Nyx_ instead of him, and the absolutely  _scandalized_ faces of everyone when Noct pulled Ignis in for a deep kiss in front of the entire kingdom. 

“Yeah,” he agrees, “it was great.” 

**Author's Note:**

> this might become a full fic one of these days idk we'll have to see
> 
> next up tho: beauty and the beast au [sunglasses emoji]
> 
>  
> 
> [tumblr](http://caaelum.tumblr.com)


End file.
